Lace manufacturing and feeding mechanism for lace packaging machine



June 15, 1965 R. B. PARKER LACE MANUFACTURING AND FEEDING MECHANISM FORLACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1963 INVENTORROBERT B. PARKER ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 B. PARKE 3,183,898

R. LACE MANUFACTURING AND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINEFiled April 25, 1963 IIWIIHHI 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 wuu IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 R. B. PARKER 3,138,898

LACE MANUFACTURING AND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25, 1963 l h l l l h ENVENTOR.

ROBERT B. PARKER ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 R. B. PARKER LACE MANUFACTURINGAND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledApril 25, 1963 R. B. PARKER June 15, 1965 3,188,898 LACE MANUFACTURINGAND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledApril 25, 1965 IN VEN TOR.

H... mm mflm BA m M Rfi Y B 6 G F June '15, 1965 R. B. PARKER LACEMANUFACTURING AND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 25, 1963 Illlafl ll III|||I IIIIII I IIIJIIIll lulilllll fll h .HH

7 INVEN TOR.

ROBERT B. PARKER FIG.

ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 LACE MANUFACTURING 1\ Filed April 25, 1963 R B.PARKER ND FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet Fl mmvroa ROBERT E. PARKER ATTORNEYS about the banded pair of laces.

United States Patent 3,188,898 LACE MANUFACTURING AND FEEDING MEQHA- INISM FOR LACE PACKAGING MAtIHl'NE Robert B. Parker, North Scituate, RJL,assignor to Bored, End, a corporation of Rhode llsiand Filed Apr. 25,1963, Ser. No. 275,569 9 (Ilaims. (Cl. 83-267) This invention relates toa machine for feeding laces to a lace packaging machine and is acontinuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 115,843, filed May 1,1961.

I In the marketing of laces, particularly shoe laces, it is desirable tosupply the laces to the trade in pairs which are packaged by placing aband about the folded laces. In many instances a transparent wrapper isalso placed A few machines have been provided for mechanically packaginga pair of laces. However, usually a lace is completed by tipping, andthe tipped laces are either manually fed to the machine or the tippedlaces are slid along some mechanical carrier and picked up by themachine.

Difficulties are often encountered in the packaging machine if the laceswhich are supplied to the machine are not ofthe same length within thetolerances of the stretching of the laces, and when the laces areindividually formed and then brought together in pairs, it is frequentthat this diflerence in length is beyond the tolerance which will behandled by the packaging machine. When separate completed tipped lacesare to be packaged, some complexity is again necessary to grasp andobtain control of the completed laces. Also when separate completelyformed laces are provided, there is considerable complication involvedin the feeding of these separately formed laces to the packagingmachine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a feeding attachmentto a lace packaging machine, and more particularly to the lace packagingmachine illustrated in Marsh Patent No. 2,896,386, in which the feed ofa lace to the packaging machine may be mechanically ac complished directfrom braid supply of an indefinite length.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for tippingand feeding laces from a continuous length of lace material to thepackaging machine mechanically and without hand operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism whichwill feed extended lengths of braid simultaneously so that a plurality,such for example as a matched pair of laces will then be fed to thepackaging machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device for apackaging machine which will utilize some of the movement of the lace inthe packaging machine for withdrawing the lace from the feedingmechanism, thus simplifying to a large extent the feeding mechanismwhich operates in conjunction with a packaging machine.

Another object of the invention is to so control the tension of the laceas it is fed to the packaging machine that there is no serious dragplaced upon the feeding of the lace to the packaging machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism for apackaging machine which may be 1 utilized for largely varying lengths oflaces by providing take-up means for the length of the lace.

Another object of the invention is to cause laces to be fed into thepackaging machine and gripped therein prior ice to the severance of alace or a pair of laces from the continuous length of braid from whichthey are formed.

Another object of the invention is the utilization of such a drive inthe feeding mechanism that should some snarl-up occur, the machine willcome to a stop.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the machine with the cutter assembly omitted forclarity;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view on a larger scale than FIG. 1 of the transferportion of the mechanism with parts broken away and parts omitted tobetter show the operation of the machine;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of that portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

MG. 5 is an edge view with parts broken away and in section of the clampfor the braid carried by the dial;

FIG. 6 is a sectional View on substantially line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a fragmental portion of the machine;

FIG. 8 is a fragmental view partly broken away and in section toillustrate the cutter assembly;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view through the frame showing in elevation thefeeding means for the braid;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the feeding means with the braid in positionthereon;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion of the drive meansbetween the machine which is the subject of this invention and thepackaging machine with which it is associated; and

FIG. 12 is an elevation of a gripper for the braid associated with thetransfer mechanism.

In proceeding with this invention and with reference particularly toFIG. 1, it might be first mentioned that although the machine may handlea number of different laces at one time, the illustration in thedrawings is for the handling of two laces so as to form a pair of laces,as shoe laces are usually marketed, to be delivered into the packagingmachine as shown in the Marsh Patent No. 2,896,386. Accordingly, asshown in FIG. 1, there are two supply sources for extended lengths ofbraid which sources may be from reels 20, 20'.

The braids 3t), 38' are led into the machine into the area A where adrum is arranged to pull the braids from the supply source both at thesame rate and to deliver the braid substantially without tension into astandard tipping mechanism 40, 48 in area B, the details of which arenot shown, and then from this tipping mechanism, the braids are broughttogether into side by side relation in a take-up mechanism at area C,the arrangement being such that regardless of the finished length oflace within the limits of the machine the braids may be disposed forfurther operation. From this take-up mechanism in area C, the braids aredelivered about a guide pulley 31 in their adjacent relation, stillwithout being severed from the supply source, and are then passed into atransfer mechanism in area D for positioning the leading ends of thebraids into the packaging machine shown in the Marsh Patent 2,896,386,the tipped ends of the braids being positioned at a location to begripped by the jaws 69 of this Marsh patent also given the same numberherein (FIG. 4). This transfer mechanism at area D also includes acutter to sever the braid and tips after the leading end of the lace islocated and grasped in the packaging machine such as shown in theabove-mentioned Patent 2,896,386.

'A single motor 15 is utilized for driving the mechanism above describedand also driving the packaging machine of Patent 2,896,386 so that boththe mechanism above described and packaging machine willoperate inunison as a single unit. I I

V v p Feeding device Braids in continuous lengths on separate supplyspools 20 and 20' are each led into the machine at area A to be eachpassed about a fixed rod 21 (FIGS. 1, 9 and having a plurality ofgrooves '22 therein and also about drum 23 which is positioned justbelow the rod 21 and which will be driven by pulley 24 and belt 25 at amuch higher rate of speed than is desired for the travel of '7 the braidinto the machine. The drum 23 'and'pulley 24 are mounted for freerotation on shaft 26which is supported in bearing 27 on bracket 28secured to a portion of the frame. Rod 21 is supportedby bracket 29alsovfrom bracket 28. This braid 30 Willbe disposed I braid at thelocation 3t) until there is some slack in the braid or practically notension'at 30 when the drum will again slip on the braid. A second braid30 (FIG. 1) is similarly fed indicated by the same numerals with a primeadded. Two lines of braid are thus delivered into the tipping dies 40,40', area B, which will apply tipsto the braids which tips will'be of alength sufficient to provide a tip on the trailing end of one lace andthe leading end of the 'next lace so that when severed at urged towardeach other into clamping relation.

substantially the mid pointof the tipping material lengthl wise of thebraid, two tips will be provided. Tipping dies are standard in the tradeand are not shown in detail in'this machine as they are well known.These tipping dies will' operate substantially in unison although theymay be two separate units orthey might be the The braids so tipped atarea B are then directed to the take-up area C and extend about pairs ofpulleys and 45' and thence through pairs of pulleys 46 and 46' so as tobring the two lengths of braid and the two tips just provided into closerelation; The take-up mechanism will be located centrally of thetwoitip-applying the other arm 34. The braids 30, 30' are led betweenthese two arms which are brought together so as to permit the braidtoslide through and the tip to engage the edges of the arms so as toequalize the two laces lengthwise from their tips. The solenoid isactuated at the proper time to bring thearms toward each other and torelease and allow the arms. to'separate under action of spring 38. Theguide 39 with opposite inwardly extending slots 39' separates the'braids and directs them into the machine (see FIG. 12).

Transfer mechanism The transfer mechanism in area D isshown in plan inFIG. land in elevation in' FIG. 2. Also the dial is shown, on a larger.scale in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. This transfer mechanismcomprises a dial 50 which rotates 180 intermittently. The dialisgenerally circular but is notched on opposite sides as at 51. Theradially extending portions formed by each of these notches aredesignated as 53 when in the position nearest pulley 31 and designated54 when furthest therefrom, and on each of these portions there ispivotally mounted a clamp comprising a pair of jaws, the one on portion53 is clamp 52 and'the one on portion 54 is clamp 55 (see FIG. 5). Oneach portion 53 and 54 there is a ball bearing 56' (FIG. 5) whichrotatably mounts a shaft 57 carrying a jaw 58 of the clamp 52, 55. Thisjaw 58 has at a point below its pivotal mounting on the portion 53 'or54a finger 59 which mounts on pivot 64 another jaw ,60. Both of thesejaws are recessed as at 61 and 62 to receive a spring 63 which swingsthe jaws about the pivot 64 so thatthe upper' portion of these jaws areTwo braids 3t), 30 are fed into the jaws, oneof which braids at thelocation ofportion 53 is designated as 30d and the other as 30'd.. The,braid 30d will be above the pivoted axis of shaft 57 andthe braid 30dwill'be below this axis so that the-braids will be. positioned onopposite 'sides of the pivotal axis of the, mounting of the jaw 58 onportion 53 or 54 and equally distant from this pivotal axis so as tomaintain a balanced relationship about this pivotal axis. 1 i I p Theclamp is controlled in its movement, from its position at the left ofthe dial '50 (FIG. 4) through its 180 movement to the right of the dial50, by an arcuate guide 215 overhanging the disk .50 which will engagethe top dies so that as the braids are brought together, the tips will,be in registering relation. The pair of braids are then lead about apair of guide pulleys 47, or 47' or 47" or 47" or 47", depending uponthe length of the lace which is desired. While one pair of these pulleys47 might be utilized and adjusted each time a different length on itsball bearing pivotal mounting, thus causing it to remain more nearly'vertical. Also as the clamp approaches its position to the right ofdial 50, this clamp will engage the guiding surface 216 which is an Lshape plate pivoted on bracket .217 and held in by spring 218 and-backofwhich the dial rotates so as to guide the clamp and position itgenerally vertically for the ends 30:; and 30e to be gripped bythe jaws69 of the packaging machine. The bracket 214 also serves to engage theclamp in the position to the left of dial 50. as it moves lower portionof the jaws are squeezed to compress the pairs of pulleys 47, the tippedbraid is then passed about V a pair of pulleys 48 and then over a pairof pulleys 31 and through an aligning device 33 (FIG. 12) and, guide 39to be led into the transfer mechanism D. The aligning device 33 (FIG; 1,2 and-4) is shown on a larger scale in FIG. 12 and comprises a pairofarms 34, 35 on one of which 35 a solenoid 36 is mounted to spriugj63'.This is accomplishedfor each clamp intermittently by; similar butslightly diiferent mechanism. For-clamp .52 theactuation is through thenotch 51 in the disk' by means ,of a solenoid 70' (FIG. 3) having aplunger 71'. Plungers 75"and 76 extend through a bracket 77' on theframe of the machine,"and on the end ofone of these plungers 75' thereisa shoe 78 while on the end of the'other plunger '76 there is a shoe79.-

arrangement, pressure may be applied to the opposite sides of the jaws58 and 60 adjacent the location of the spring 63 to move the jaws openabout the pivot 64 against the action of the compression spring 63. Theaction is such that when the plunger '71 is drawn into the solenoid 70the lever arm 80' swings in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 toswing the lever 30' until one of the shoes engages the jawof the clamp.Usually the shoe 78' will first engage the jaw of the clamp and then thelever will swing about the pivot 82 of the connection of plunger 75 andlever 80 as a pivot to draw plunger 76' with its shoe 79' intoengagement with the opposite jaw of the clamp 60. When both are engaged,then the clamp will be squeezed open again the action of the spring 63applying substantially equal pressures upon both of the jaws and givinga balanced action. It will, of course, be apparent that should the shoe79' first come in contact with the clamp, the lever 80' will swing aboutpoint 84 as a pivot to apply jaw 78' to the clamp. These shoesmay slidealong the clamp as the dial moves.

To open clamp 55, the actuation is through a solenoid 70 (FIG. 3) havinga plunger 71 which is connected by links 72 to the bell crank lever 73fixedly pivoted as at 74. Plunger 76 extends through a bracket '77 onthe frame of the machine, and on the end of this plunger 76 there is ashoe 79. A lever arm 80 pivoted by a slotted connection to a fixed post75 as at 82 is connected to an arm of the bell crank lever 73 by a link81. In this location the jaw 58 is backed up by the disk 50. By thissort of arrange ment, pressure may be applied to jaw 60 adjacent thelocation of the spring 63, and as jaw 58 is against disk 50 and cannotmove, jaw 60 will move to open about the pivot 64 against the action ofthe compression spring 63. The action is such that when the plunger 71is drawn into the solenoid 70, the bell crank lever swings in acounterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 to swing the lever 80 untilshoe 79 engages and moves the jaw of the clamp.

The braids 30, 30' are drawn about the pairs of pulleys 31 (FIG. 4) by ahalf revolution of dial 50 so that the leading severed tip will be in aposition now designated 30e, 30's to be gripped by the jaws 69 of thepackaging machine above referred to and shown in phantom in FIG. 4, andthe next following double tip material will be in a position so that thetip material will be located in a proper position for severing. Thesevering mechanism is designated generally E as seen in FIG. 3 (see alsoFIG. 2 and FIG. 8) and is located opposite an aperture 90 in the dial50. A guideway 91 is provided on bracket 91, in which guideway there isslidably mounted an anvil block 92 against which the cutter operates.The anvil block 92 is mounted on rod 200 which is secured to cross head201 from which rod 202 extends downwardly and is guided in blocks 203and 204. A lever 205 pivoted at 206 on the frame is actuated by a pairof solenoids 207 and 208 on opposite sides of the pivot 206 and isconnected to the cross head 201 by a link 209. The cutter is achisel-shaped member 93 (FIG. 8) which slidably extends through a flangebushing 94 in the frame 77 of the machine, and a spring 96 engages theflange of this bushing and also a shoulder 97 of the cutter so as tourge the cutter away from the anvil 92. A solenoid 85 operates bellcrank lever 86 which has an arm 181 with a bifurcated end 182 to enternotches 183 in the stem of this cutter so as to actuate the cutter atthe proper time into engagement with the anvil and sever the pair ofbraids midway between the opposite ends of the tipping material whichhas been applied to form the leading portion of the braid into afinished lace.

' block 92 by a finger 98 offset from and extending parallel to the faceof block 92 (FIGS. 3 and 8). Adjacent the anvil block and fixed on thebracket 91 there is a stop. This stop is formed by an L shaped piecewith one arm fixed to the bracket 91 and the other arm providing araised portion 100 which will engage the leading edge of the tippingmaterial to catch the same as drawn across and deflected toward theanvil block and accurately position the tipping material on the block inthe desired location across the anvil in position for cutting. Thebraid, forward of the severing location as the dial completes 180revolution, is disposed across pin 101 which is on the fixed bracket 91of the frame and inclined so as to slide the braids sideways and awayfrom the dial 50.

The take-up arm 103 is rotatably mounted on shaft 106 and carries pulley102. This shaft 106, however, carries a worm gear 107 fixed on theshaft. Arm 103 carries by means of a bracket 108 a worm 109 to engagethe worm gear 107. By means of this worm 109 and worm gear 107, the arm103 is adjustably fixed to the shaft 106 to obtain the angular relationdesired. Thus the arm 103 may extend radially of the shaft 106 at anyrelative position of azimuth. The worm 109 is slidably keyed to itsshaft 110 (see FIG. 4) and held in normal position against bearing 111by a spring 112 so that there may be some give against the resilience ofthis spring at the time of take-up of the braids so that should there bea variation in stretch or some unevenness in length of braids,

this could be compensated for.

Arm 105 which carries pulley 104 is connected by means of a universaljoint (FIG. 3) to shaft 121 which may be operated by a rack 122 and gear123 so that, as the rack is moved longitudinally, the shaft 121 will berotated, and the arm 105 will swing away from the position of pulley 104in FIGS. 1 and 3 so as to drop the pulley 104 downwardly and outwardlyfrom the machine to cause a discharge of the ends of the braids whichare being drawn into the packaging machine.

After the braids are severed and the packaging machine starts to drawthem into the packaging machine, the trailing end of the braids drop bygravity, and in order to direct them out of the path of the nextincoming braids, I provide on a spring arm 2,30 attached to block 231 onthe machine frame a flexible deflector 220 (FIG. 4) suitably of someplastic material, the upper edge 221 of which may engage dial 50 sothat, as the braids fall, they will slide over this edge 221 and byreason of the curvature or inclination of this deflector 220 will bemoved away from the dial. When the braids drop, they extend over pulley104 which is moving downwardly and outwardly from the dial 50 as in FIG.4. The upper portion of the laces will engage the inner arcuate edge 240of finger 241 and the lower portion of the laces will engage edge 242 offinger 243 angled outwardly therefrom because of the tendency of thelace to swing outwardly as it drops, while arm 105 will engage the outeredge 244 of cam 245, fixed to finger 240, and swing the finger and lacesinwardly off of pulley 104. These fingers 2 40, 243 and cam 245 aremounted on rod 246 pivotally mounted on bearings 247 and 248 of bracket249 and urged by spring 250 against a step 251. As this action occurs,the packaging machine is drawing the severed braids into the packagingmachine. As the arm 103 moves past the deflector, the deflector flexesto permit it to pass.

Drive The main motor 15, FIG. 6, drives shaft 16 from which either belt17 or 18 drives a right-angular speed reducer 125 through a shaft 126.Belt 17 drives shaft 126 at high speed, and belt 18 drives shaft 126 atlow speed. Electrically controlled clutches 19, 19' select which beltdoes the driving. This right-angular speed reducer rotates shaft 127(FIG. 7) on which is gear 128 to drive gear 129 on shaft 132 on which isa plate 134 of a Geneva motion. This plate 134 is equipped with a pin135 (FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7) which engages the spider 136 of the Genevamojtion arranged in thirds so that at eaeh revolution of the -clutchthere will be a third of a revolutionv of the shaft 137 leading from theGeneva motion. The Geneva plate 138 (FIG. 6) has gear teeth onits edgewhich drives idler 139 which in turn drives a second idler 140, and thisidler in turn drives gear 141 which drives the shaft 142 on which thedial 50'is mounted, turning that dial through -180. Idler 140 alsodrives gear 143 on shaft'106 to operate arm 103 each movement of theGeneva, this shaft,

106 being the one which operates arm 103for the take-up of the lace atthe transfer mechanism.

By reference to FIG. 6 it willbe apparent that themain drive shaft 132through chain 150 (FIGS-6; --7) drives cam shaft 151 upon which there ismounted the earn 152 which operates the tipping mechanism 40, '40 atarea Brby means of the cam follower 153 on the'endof' the lever-154having a T-head 155 to either end of which there is connected the'links15.6 and 156- tothe tipping head. This head. feeds in the tippingmaterial,-'wraps it around the braid and severs the tippingrnaterial.

From'this main shaft'132 there is also a chain driveindicated at 160 toshaft 161 of the'right-angle bevel gear drive unit 162 from which thereis the output shaft 163.

Keyed to this shaft 163 (FIG. 11) there is a sleeve 164 upon which thereis freely rotatable a sprocket 165. On

either side of this sprocket there are disks 166 and 167 timed relationof interconnector), each ofwhich engages in a recess in the sprocketto'be pushed out of this recess so that the ball'157 will snap from onegroove to the other in the pin' 158-and will pushrearwardly the ring 176t'o actuate the arm 177 and switch 178 to cause the stopping of themachine. I 1

The shaft 106'is provided with a cam'170' (FIG. 21w

drive the rack 122 by'means of a camfollowerfl 1 (FIG.

' 3) and rod 172 adjustable by 'nut 173 on threadsj1'74' of the rod.This rack will turn shaft 121 which through the funiversal joint 120will rotate shaft 175 to swing -arm 105 downwardly so as to dischargeany lace on' pulley 104 and then will swing the arm back into positionagain in the position that it was'originally. located. By 'thisoperation 7 thetrailing edge of the lace after it' has been severed and'is being drawn into'the packaging machine isjremo'ved from the path ofa subsequentbraid which is being placed by the feeding machine in.positionforseverance. The

motor 15 through shaft 16 and pulley14 drives jack shaft i v OperationBraids 30 and 30' will be threaded into the machine about-the feedmechanism in area A through the tipping dies and 40 in area B, thencethrough-the take-up mechanism in area C with each of the strands ofbraid 30 aid VSO engaging guide pulleys mounted one above the 'other,thence around a pair'of guide pulleys 31 and into the transfermechanismin area D. The laces will be initially threaded into thetransfer mechanism through the gripper 33 so as to position the laces inthe clam'pi52 on the dial portion 53, whichis at the leftof the dialas-viewed .inFIGS.2and4.' Y .l 1 It will be assumed that in initialthreading the severing of the tips will have been performed, and thetips of the two laces will belengthwise aligned and .will be heldin-'the clamp 52 nearly asshown in FIG. 4.(FIG. 4.being a position of themachine after the dial. has just started to rotate). These tips intthislocation are designated 30d and 30 d. After this threading has. beenaccomplished, the dial starts to rotate clockwise as seen in FIGS. '2and 4; in FIG. 4 the dial has rota-ted so thatthe flat side of notch51hasmoved from the vertical as in FIG. 2 to a position inclinedthereto.During-rotation of the dial ,50 above referred to, the clamp 52- onportion 53 'at the'left asseen in FIG. 2 and 4 remains in grippingengagement withthe .ends of thebraid, and asthe dialrotates; the arm 103carrying pulley 102 swings at twice the angular speed of 'the shaft 142causing the pulley 102 to engage the braid from above so, as to'draw infrom the supply the amount v then downwardly on the right-hand side ofthe dial as athis dial is designated as" and still maintains a grip on Ithe two laces as they move to stop position with the two 180 (FIGS. 1aha 6) through'belt'181, which shaft 180 through belts 25 and 25 drivesthe drums 23 ofthe feed-f ing device.

The shaft 161' (FIG. 1 extends from the gear box 162, and at its outerend there is mounted a gear18l5 .which through gear 186 drives the camshaft 187 upon which thereare mounted four cams. Cain'188 actuates thefolllower 189 to control solenoid 70 above mentioned and also solenoid36, whilecam 190 actuates follower191 to control solenoid 70'. Cam 192through its follower .193

shown in FIG. 4, which clamp now being to the right of clampssubstantially horizontal with reference to each other; as shown in FIG.2. The tips ofthe laces which were previously indicated at 30d and 30'-dhave now moved to positions 30e and30e as'shown in FIG.4 and are in apositionto be gripped by the jaws 69 of the packaging machine which willopen as shown by their dotted lines in ;.FIG. '4. 1 These jaws 69aremounted radiallyof a pair of shafts as seen in FIGS. 4 and.5 of'Patent No. 2,896,386

r I and will be cleared by the dial and clamps as moved into j position.Then-atthe .proper timed relation the shafts which carry the jaws-69rotate in opposite directions to swing the jaws into engagement withthe tipped ends of the braid so as to be ready todraw it intothe-packaging machine; The clamps 52;and 55 are now released on thebraid. The packaging machine operates to cause jaws 69 to draw thebraids into the packaging machine. which action also draws the-tips tothe cutter block'and against stop 100.

As the braid with the tipping-materialds properly lo- -cated onthecutting block .92, the, clamp 52 grips the braids andthecam192causessolenoid-SS to be energized and the cutter 93110 sever the braidand its tipping material halfway betweenthe ends of the tipping materialso that a completed lace is formed. As soon'as severing occurs,

cain 188 will cause actuation of solenoid soas. to reequate a switch tocontrol the'cutofi? solenoid .to

actuate the cutter 93,,and cam 194 ,actuatesfollowes 195 to control thesolenoids 207 and 208 which actuate the *anvil block 92 for the cutter.o, 7 y

A switch 210 (FIG. 2) is operated by a cam 211 on main shaftj1 32, whichswitch controls electric clutches 19,

19"so that the drive will shift to belt '18 and slow the i operation ofthe Geneva motion which operates to rotateplate 50 while allowing fasterspeed operation the remainder of the time, 7 7

a lease the grip of this clamp 55 on the lace, and the jaws 69 i willbegin to move to the right as shown in FIG. 4-to draw the lace. into thepackaging machine. Also almost imlmediatelythe dialwill start a secondclockwise rotation,

and as this'dial rotates'to move the empty jaws 55 downwardly throughbottom, center of the dial and then upwardly, these jaws will slide outof the clamp which caused them to open. By this time the lace will havebeen drawn from position in the jaws. As thisaction is taking place,

f' the lace will be resting upon roll ,104, and the cam 170 will causethe operation of the" rack above described to 7 swing arm downwardly, soas to move the lace from the'path of thesubsequent braid being broughtover the upper top center of the dial to position the tips in locations30a and 30'e. As the empty jaws of the clamp 52 rise from bottom centerto position adjacent the anvil block forthe gripping of two fresh piecesof braid, the jaws reach a position to enter between the shoes 78' and79, the cam 190 will cause solenoid 70' to operate and close these shoeson the clamp which will at first engage near the upper portion of theclamp but will slide along the clamp as it moves upwardly so that by thetime the portion 53 reaches horizontal position, this clamp will be opento grip the braid which has been drawn into the machine at a pointclosely adjacent to the tipping material. The braid is now in a positionto be again severed, and it will be apparent that at this point thecycle has been completed and the lace is again ready for a further cycleof operation which has just been above described.

I claim:-

1. A lace handling apparatus for association with a means for feedingand folding a plurality of laces into a package including means to gripthe laces, a source of supply for continuous lengths of lace strands,mechanism between the source of supply and said means for folding toguide the strands into said gripping means, means to sever the strandsafter engaged by the gripping means whereby the feed of the foldingmeans draws the severed laces from said mechanism.

2. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the guide meanscomprises a dial rotatable through an arc to deposit the laces inposition to be gripped by said means for gripping the plurality oflaces.

3. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the dial comprises aplurality of spring closed clamps, means to intermittently rotate saiddial and means to intermittently open said clamps.

4. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the dial comprises aplurality of spring closed clamps, means to intemittently rotate saiddial and an arm carry ing a portion to engage the strand between saidclamps and tension the same when the dial comes to rest.

5. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said arm rotates atan angular velocity faster than said dial.

6. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said arm rotates atan angular velocity twice that of said dial.

7. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the dial comprises aplurality of spring closed clamps, means to intermittently rotate saiddial and means to intermittently open said clamps, each clamp comprisinga pair of jaws and shoes to engage said jaws to open the clamps.

8. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the dial comprises aplurality of spring closed clamps, each clamp movably mounted on apivotal axis on said dial, and means for positioning the strands onopposite sides of said pivotal axis in a balanced relation.

9. A lace handling apparatus as in claim 1 wherein means deflects thelace from its normal path of travel during the drawing of the lace intothe folding means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,423,984 7/22Armitage 2933.5 1,934,471 11/33 Kerr 53l13 2,896,386 7/59 Marsh 53ll3RICHARD H. EANES, 111., Primary Examiner.

1. A LACE HANDLING APPARATUS FOR ASSOCIATION WITH A MEANS FOR FEEDINGAND FOLDING A PLURALITY OF LACES INTO A PACKAGE INCLUDING MEANS TO GRIPTHE LACES, A SOURCE OF SUPPLY FOR CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF LACE STRANDS,MECHANISM BETWEEN THE SOURCE OF SUPPLY AND SAID MEANS FOR FOLDING TOGUIDE THE STRANDS INTO SAID GRIPPING MEANS, MEANS TO SEVER THE STRANDSAFTER ENGAGED BY THE GRIPPING MEANS WHEREBY THE FEED OF THE FOLDINGMEANS DRAWS THE SEVERED LACES FROM SAID MECHNISM.